Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
February 23, 2018 4:49 p.m.
Toward the end of the February 20, 2018 Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC) Regular Meeting, Commissioner Chip Ross reported on a recent meeting with FDOT and railroad Genesee & Wyoming Railroad officials in Jacksonville concerning the potential opening of the Alachua Crossing. Ross recapped questions that arose during the meeting, which included City Manager Dale Martin, City Attorney Tammi Bach and city lobbyist Arthur I. “Buddy” Jacobs.
Ross proceeded to identify the following areas that he believed needed to be addressed before the city could move forward with the opening:
- Railroad wanted engineering drawings and then would decide if acceptable
- Who has authority to negotiate?
- Is there enough space to put a vehicular crossing at Alachua?
- Does the railroad want the entire area fenced?
- Would the railroad or FDOT contribute financially to the project?
- Ordinance of 1886 [which Ross believes commits railroad to pay for improvements]
- How would the City’s other goals impact the railroad?
- Does FDOT have to approve a pedestrian railroad crossing?
Ross said, “I’d like discussion tonight as to where do we go. We’ve been talking about [opening the Alachua crossing] since 1978. We need to go forward with an engineer that the railroad would approve to let us know if we can even fit a crossing there; if we can, do streets need to be one way or can they remain two way. I want to make sure before the staff puts a lot of time into this that we still want to go forward, depending of course on what the price is, with vehicular or pedestrian crossing at Alachua Street.”
Commissioner Roy Smith was recognized for a question before Ross completed his slide presentation. Smith said, “I don’t believe that we as commissioners should be going to these meetings like this. With the questions asked, you say the city asked these questions. I got reports back after the meeting that you asked these questions. You shouldn’t unilaterally go to a meeting and ‘represent the commission’ there – telling people to give them this or that. We should not be attending these meetings. That stuff comes back to us.”
Mayor Miller interrupted Smith saying, “That wasn’t a question. That was more of a statement.”
Ross replied to Smith, “Okay, I hear you. But that still doesn’t take away the question before the commission now: do we want to go forward in support of a vehicular or pedestrian crossing at Alachua Street? I think that is something we need to agree to before we move forward.”
Vice Mayor Len Kreger said, “Opening Alachua Street has been a goal since I’ve been a commissioner. I support opening Alachua, and by doing that I look to see Ash become one way and Alachua to become one way. The logic of that is to solve problems with traffic flow, congestion, confusion and parking.”
Ross said, “We are not getting into details at this point. We just need to know if we as a body support the idea. I support it.”
Smith said, “I’m not going to commit to saying I support it until I see some numbers on this thing. It may be unreasonable to do it.”
Ross agreed with Smith, but said what he was hoping to get was commission consensus for the city manager to hire an expert to provide the details and costs for a plan acceptable to the city, the railroad and FDOT. He said, “I think there is a consensus that under certain conditions we would open Alachua Street. But we need to find out what those conditions are.”
Commissioner Phil Chapman said, “Until we have definite plans for Front Street, I cannot see spending money to get an engineer to look at the Alachua crossing. I think it would be premature. We have so much work that needs to get done on Front Street impacting parking, the marina and traffic. I know there are businesses on Ash Street that are adamantly opposed to one-waying that street because of impact to their business.”
Ross returned to his slide presentation. He said that all the points raised converge in the need for an engineering study. City Manager Dale Martin interjected that he had recently met with an engineering firm that specializes in railroad work and is acceptable to the railroads. He circulated minutes from that meeting to the commissioners for further discussion following Ross’ presentation.
Ross concluded his presentation and asked if there was support from commissioners for each action, specifically:
- Building a vehicular and/or pedestrian crossing at Alachua Street
- A pedestrian connection on the east side of the railroad between Ash and Centre Streets
- Safe access to the rear of the Marina Restaurant and the Salty Pelican across the railroad tracks
- A pedestrian crossing at Broome Street
- Improving safety of existing rail crossings at Ash Street and Centre Street
- Developing Front Street from Centre to Broome Street
- Developing Parking Lots A and B
- Developing Parking Lots C and D
Ross stressed the interconnectivity of all the various problems with streets, railroad, safety and parking.
Smith took issue with Ross’ proposal for a pedestrian crossing at Broome Street. He asked Dr. Ross, “Are we trying to make everybody who lives down here weigh 500 lbs. because they can’t walk to Centre Street to access the waterfront? With the Alachua crossing, you’d already have a crossing a block north of Centre. We’re just encouraging people to get bigger and bigger and I would think a doctor wouldn’t be doing that.”
Ross said he respectfully disagreed with Smith and that such a crossing would increase walking. He said Broome Street keeps coming up because it has been mentioned in all the parking plans and earlier development plans.
Martin recapped his meeting with an engineer from HDR Engineering who raised the same points Ross raised, adding that Ross never met with him. He outlined the statement of work that HDR would undertake to develop more detailed cost estimates. He also said that if the proposal goes forward to open Alachua, FDOT would contribute the funding for safety improvements at Ash and Centre Streets. Martin added that the railroad might not favor a fence to separate the rail bed from the street. “Fences do a good job of keeping people out,” he said, “but they can also trap people in. What if somebody was on the wrong side of the fence and a train was coming and they couldn’t get out because of the fence?” Martin said he had not yet received a proposal from HDR.
Kreger voiced support for going forward with the study, but agreed with Smith that afterwards, the decision would have to factor in costs of the project before giving a final approval.
Ross said that the engineering study proposed by the City Manager was a fundamental place to begin, and urged that commissioners support it.
Smith said, “I think the bigger issue here is that we had a commissioner unilaterally go to a meeting, and I don’t know why the City Manager let him go. We should not be attending those things. The questions you were asking [referring to Ross] almost made it your show there. I don’t think that should be happening. We shouldn’t be going to those meetings with a preset list of questions. That’s why we have city staff. If we want to do it all ourselves, we should just get rid of the city manager and then we can run the city. We’re not supposed to do that. And I’m getting tired of things happening like this. One person doesn’t run the commission. That’s not our job. Look it up [in the City Charter] to see what a commissioner can do. You are interfering with [the City Manager’s] job. I know you are new to the commission, but we’ve got to stop doing this. That’s the biggest issue here. We’re doing things we’re not supposed to be doing.”
Mayor Miller tried to inject a note of levity. He said, “I don’t want to get rid of the city manager. We’re that close to having an award for 100 years of city manager form of government.”
Miller went on to say that he did not see Ross giving direction, but just trying to find facts. “These are questions I’ve had, too,” Miller said. He expressed concerns over a parking plan that showed cars parked closer to the railroad tracks. “No one ever got back on that. I’d love to know if we could even do that.” He also acknowledged that while the question over the railroad’s obligation to pay dating back to 1886 has been brought up several times, it has never been answered.
Miller asked Ross, “Did you ever tell them the city is wanting to do this?”
“Absolutely not,” Ross replied. “I said here’s a bunch of questions. And we had a dialog. That’s it.”
Smith jumped in, “You represent the commission when you do that. I don’t want you representing me. There are five of us up here. We’re not supposed to go to meetings like that. You went; you asked the questions. The agenda was almost yours.”
Ross asked if there was a consensus for the City Manager to go forward to bring in an engineer for the purpose he outlined.
After a bit more discussion, Mayor Miller declared consensus to move ahead as the city manager suggested.
Ross is being proactive, acting like the leader a commissioner should be. Where is Smith coming from? Envy?
Commissioner Smith has positioned himself between a rock and hard place. During a January 2, 2018 meeting, he called for called for “a news blackout when it comes to information from his colleagues,” discounting the idea that sharing as much information prior to a meeting results in efficiency… (essentially what we expect from governance). Then a few days later on January 5, 2018, Commissioner Smith complains that commission meetings are taking too much time (“We can’t keep dragging them out with… questions and stuff.”) Appears Smith has become disinterested and disengaged in performance of his commitment to our community.
Then Commissioner Smith needs to step down and let someone who is actually interested in accomplishing something take his place. Fact is, it’s HIS constant whining that drags things out.
Sure sounds to me like Mr. Smith needs to grow up and lose the childish jealousy. According to him, every time Chip Ross steps out of his home he’s representing the commission. But, more to the point, it’s about time SOMEONE got ambitious enough to go get some answers! I think 40 years of just chewing on this at commission meetings is MORE than enough. Chip Ross should be given an “atta boy” for actually DOING something.
Sounds like once again the City is kicking the can down the road.